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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rock · spring · kick · bowl · perch · can · pit · scale

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. kick — in football
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. spring — a coil
  7. scale — size or range
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. rock — a stone
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rock — music
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. can — a tin
  17. scale — in music
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — the season
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. perch — the fish
  24. kick — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com